Comments on: Blue Jays to bring back John Gibbons as managerhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/
Baseball. Baseball. And then a bit more baseball.Sat, 10 Dec 2016 02:56:52 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.com/By: mazblasthttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/comment-page-2/#comment-401993
Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:47:22 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401993IMO Gibbons did about the best that could be done with the team The Great J.P. assembled. I’d look at the lineups the Jays were fielding and say, “That’s not gonna do it”.

This time, he has bigger guns, more ammo, and a general manager who seems to have a clue.

]]>By: mazblasthttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401991
Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:40:15 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401991Canadian parents, most likely.
]]>By: jason9696http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/comment-page-2/#comment-401862
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:48:01 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401862That was Tim Johnson. He said he was in Vietnam but he never was.
]]>By: proudlycanadianhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401837
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:38:46 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401837Condolences once again!
]]>By: proudlycanadianhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401835
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:34:32 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401835Relax! Take 10 deep breaths and let it all hang out. This team does not need a star manager. All it needs is a good traffic cop who wants to be here.
]]>By: proudlycanadianhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401833
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:32:13 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401833AA is doing exactly what he said he will do. He is letting his gut do the hiring.
]]>By: historiophiliachttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401826
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:19:48 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401826Hmmm, some combination of Spanish and Yiddish…what would that be? Yanish? Spiddish?
]]>By: K. Harkerhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/comment-page-2/#comment-401796
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:43:15 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401796I should give it a chance, but my initial reaction was, “why are we going back to what didn’t work?” After all the trade talk, I was getting excited about our team, and this has put a bit of a hiccup in my giddy up. He knows ball, which is encouraging, but as a manager, he’s been OK at best. I guess I was just hoping AA had an ace up his sleeve, or at least a more exciting get. Crossing my fingers Gibbons’ record is more indicative of the players and owner than his own faults.
]]>By: Markhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401779
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:03:03 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401779They also have Sergio Santos as a “fallback” option. They’ve got a couple of guys with experience. Again, the point is that with how many bullpen options the Jays have, there’s no reason to be paying for an “experienced closer”. Look at how well Fransisco Cordero did last year – he was the “experienced closer” and arguably one of the worst pitchers in the league.

You and I both agree that the title closer is stupid, but given the bullpen depth for the Jays and the potential options in Santos/Janssen, there still isn’t a need for an “experienced” closer.

And for the record, no, he hasn’t been doing mop up. He was the set up man in 2011 and 2012 until they realized he was their best option to close.

]]>By: cur68http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401776
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:01:06 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401776There won’t be a fight. Lawrie listens to Bautista. When he was away due to injury Lawrie was really lost there. Trying way too hard. Now there’s a strong manager and the veteran slugger whom Lawrie respects. You watch. The kid will be focused and in the game. All the little power struggles and over aggressive moves will be at a minimum. It wasn’t just Lawrie either. Anyone who watched the out field saw Rasmus constantly cutting off balls that should have been corner outfielder flyouts without calling the other fielder off. He did it when it was a rookie there. I saw him nearly run over Gose a handful of times. Each time the rook would say “call that thing, man”. Each time Rasmus would ignore him. No way that crap goes on with Gibbons and Bautista. Gibbons is a pretty calm guy but he is definitely in charge. Still wish it was the Rabbi over Gibbons, though. Sure hope he can speak spanish.
]]>By: cur68http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401771
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:50:13 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401771I agree too, jaysfan. This could be ok. He won’t try and upstage the players and get his mug on TV all the time, he’ll be hungry for the chance to prove himself and this time no JP Riccardi getting in his way.
]]>By: cur68http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401770
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:47:21 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401770I would have preferred the rabbi over Gibbons. Still, his “stand and take pitches” strategy was more a product of Riccardi than his own idea. Lets see what he’s got now that he’s got elite sluggers and pitchers. The next step could be a pitcher or some updates on Drabek’s & Hutchison’s rehab.
]]>By: cshearinghttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/comment-page-2/#comment-401765
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:33:41 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401765@bklynbaseball: No, you are thinking of Tim Johnson.
]]>By: historiophiliachttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401746
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:11:48 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401746See, they *need* the rabbi. Sigh.
]]>By: bklynbaseballhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/comment-page-2/#comment-401741
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:01:54 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401741Wasn’t this the guy who claimed to be in the Special Forces or something?
]]>By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutragedhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2012/11/20/blue-jays-to-bring-back-john-gibbons-as-manager/#comment-401718
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:36:11 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=264541#comment-401718

So why exactly do they need to acquire an experienced closer?

Probably because y’all are looking at the word closer, and not the word experienced. Not saying it’s right, but in the last three years Janssen has 24 saves in 188IP over 173 appearances*. Janssen could probably thrive in the role, but “teh fear!” and “pressure” of the 9th inning leads some to believe you need someone who has been there before.

*interesting thing to note. Janssen has “finished” 74 of the 173 appearances, but only has 24 saves. Guess he’s done a lot of mop-up duty.